Mysterous Nuance
by Sanity Check
Summary: Harry has been having nightmares, and Draco has learned a new trick over the summer. A new student comes to the school and Hogwarts is, as always full of action. H-D Slash! No flaming!
1. Welcome Home

I'm trying this again. I read the fifth book and I'm going to try to write this in sort of the style that JKR uses; as in: beginning in the middle of summer somewhere and going through an entire year. Though I can't ensure I'll stick to that. I also can't even lead you to believe for a moment that I'll be anywhere as creative as her. But I make up for it in slashy goodness. HARRY-DRACO SLASH, YOU ARE WARNED. But not for some time. You all must be patient.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Never was. Never will be. Some characters later on will be though. And the plot.  
  
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Blackness and pain. It was night. A pale figure stood over him. He was standing and watching. Shadow covered his face but his arm has the mark of death eaters. Burning red. He was close. He-who-must-not-be-named was drawing closer. Harry couldn't move... He was going to die. But more importantly, Voldemort would live and without the boy-who-lived, nothing stood between him and his life's goal. Total control. Soon, the pale figure above him grinned and stepped aside. Two eyes floating in the darkness replaced him. Two red eyes, tilted and narrow. Voldemort's eyes. The stars behind him were blocked out in a definite form and Harry felt as if he was looking into shadow, as if Voldemort were made of shadow and the only thing defining him was the absence of hopeless stars behind him.  
  
Harry awoke in the early hours of morning in his bed at the Dursley's. Hedwig was peering at him concernedly from her cage. When she saw he was awake, she gave a questioning hoot. Harry sat up and put his glasses on. He smiled at Hedwig and felt grateful for her concern. He cracked his knuckles and all at once, the dream rushed back to him. He had been having dreams like this since the beginning of summer. Each time they got further and further. The first dream had only been a glimpse of the pale face. The second had been a moment or two of waiting. This was the third one and he was growing to dread falling asleep. It was four months in to their vacation and he hadn't had to owl Mad-Eye, Tonks, or any other of the members of the Order. The Dursleys were being descent.  
  
But they were still unpleasant and that was why today he was going to go to Ron's house and spend the rest of the summer with his favorite family. Arthur was going to come by floo powder around noon and pick him up. He had been sure to open the grate so as not to have a repeat of the last time they had tried that. Also, it would only be Arthur coming, so even if the grate hadn't been open, there would be no serious damage done.  
  
Harry's nerves were on edge and he doubted he would ever get back to sleep so he decided to finish up his Transfiguration essay. He only needed another paragraph and all of his summer homework would be finished.  
  
McGonagall had really piled the homework on, as this was the year they began human transformations. Harry got to writing his conclusive paragraph.  
  
By the time he had finished and read over the rest of the essay, correcting any mistakes it was time to get up and get ready. He had been packed since the previous evening, his trunks sitting on the floor at the foot of Hedwig's cage. Now all he had to do was wait...  
  
When noon arrived, Harry was sitting on the couch listening absently to the noises of cartoons from the kitchen. The Dursley's had gone in there to have lunch, and inconspicuously locked the doors. Harry stared at the fireplace and tried to will the green flames to appear. They didn't, but that didn't stop him from trying. At five after, Harry was on edge. His anticipation was leaking adrenaline into his system, making his foot tap at about 350 bpm and his hands were shaking.  
  
When the green flames flared up in the fireplace Harry almost leapt out of his skin. Instead he leapt up from sitting to about a foot in the air. He came back down with a thud, startling Hedwig.  
  
"Sorry, Harry. Did I startle you?" Arthur said.  
  
But already Harry was grinning and walking toward him with Hedwig's cage in one hand, his trunk in the other, and his broomstick under his arm.  
  
But it seemed Arthur didn't want to leave right away. He began inspecting the clock on the mantle and quickly moved on to the executive toy on the coffee table. He pulled one ball back and released it, staring wide-eyed as the balls on the end each swung back in turn. Harry couldn't help grinning. Arthur was fascinated by muggle inventions.  
  
"What's this thing for, Harry?" Arthur asked.  
  
"It's an executive toy. It's just basically for staring at when you're bored, I guess." Harry shrugged. "Shouldn't we get going?"  
  
"Yes. Yes, of course" Arthur said, tearing his eyes away from the silver contraption. He pulled a zip-lock baggy out of his pocket filled with what looked like soot.  
  
"Harry, have you seen these? They're amazing! You just pull the little plastic thing to the left and it opens. No magic at all. Muggles use them all the time." Arthur was grinning and holding the zip-lock bag up for Harry to see.  
  
Harry just chuckled and took his handful of floo powder. He tossed it into the fireplace and tried to keep his elbows in as he was sent hurtling toward the Weasley's fireplace. When he stepped out he was immediately swept up in a hug from Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Oh, it's so good to see you Harry," she said smiling. Arthur stepped out of the fireplace a moment later and sat down on a chair over some papers he'd obviously been working on just before he got Harry.  
  
"Harry!" an excited Ron called. He'd been standing at the doorway with Hermione who was smiling and holding Crookshanks.  
  
Harry smiled and ran over to them, enclosing them both in a hug. (Crookshanks, who wasn't too happy about this, leapt down).  
  
crack  
  
Fred and George had suddenly appeared in the room with a crack. (A/N: is it just me, or did Fred and George get HOT in the third movie?!?! Heheh. Not that they weren't before...)  
  
"Harry!" Fred called excitedly. "Didn't wanna miss welcoming you back!"  
  
"Did you have a good summer so far?" George chimed in.  
  
Harry nodded. "How's the business going?"  
  
"Excellent," they both replied in unison.  
  
Harry glanced at the clock. To his surprise it had changed since last time he saw it. There was several new locations around the edge, one of which was the Dursley's. More importantly it had a new hand labeled 'Harry'. Harry looked at Mrs. Weasley who smiled and said, "I thought it proper to put you on the clock, seeing as how you're practically one of the family. Also, I found myself worrying about you far too often and I feel better with that up."  
  
When Harry didn't respond she said, "If you'd rather, I'll take it off."  
  
"No," Harry said quickly. "I like it." He was afraid to say more. This gesture meant more than he could ever say, and if he spoke, his voice could very well break with his emotions.  
  
"So," said Ron, "I guess this is welcome home, Harry."  
  
....................................................  
  
...In the third movie, Harry is using the Lumos charm in the beginning to read. Doesn't that qualify as magic? Won't he get expelled? 


	2. Draco's Patronus

I went camping. Had lots of fun. Actually not really, except I met this really cool dude there. We stayed up all hours of the night talking. Yep. Damian's cool. Just in case anyone cared!! (You should)  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Just some of the characters and the plot are.  
  
Harry spent several blissful weeks with the Weasleys, thoroughly enjoying living like a wizard, even an underage wizard not allowed to do magic. But just being there, practicing Quidditch every day and getting mail by owl made him feel like he belonged.  
  
Sooner than he would ever have imagined, it was time to go to Diagon Ally and buy supplies for the sixth year. They went by floo powder; Harry was getting more accustomed to hurtling through the chimneys and tunnels and stepping out at the opposite side.  
  
"Diagon Alley" he said very clearly and stepped out happily at the fireplaces reserved specifically for floo-travelers. He joined Fred, George, Arthur, and Ginny who had gone before him. Ron, Hermione, and Molly soon stepped out and they turned to begin their shopping.  
  
Hermione, Ron, and Harry went off together after gathering money to spend on robes, books, etcetera. Not thirty seconds away from the rest of the Weasleys, Harry caught sight of a pale boy flanked by two large boulders of boys. A sneer instantly curled the silver-haired boy in the center.  
  
"Great" Harry muttered under his breath. "Malfoy"  
  
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Draco Malfoy was shopping for school supplies just like half the rest of the school. And could you blame them? It was a perfect day. The sun was out, there was a cool breeze, and it was all around pleasant.  
  
Yes, Draco Malfoy liked pleasant. Most of the time, at least, and there was only one thing that would ruin his day:  
  
"Potter" he spat under his breath to Crabbe and Goyle. The two gits had apparently not even noticed him coming. Worthless lumps of flesh, they were.  
  
There were plentiful reasons for Draco's spite for Harry Potter- the boy- who-lived. He was ignorant, and very rude to Draco. But it went deeper than that.  
  
Draco was not gay. He had had girlfriends before and was very attracted to them. But he liked who he liked. Somehow, his subconscious had decided to develop an unquenchable lust for that despicable black-haired boy. Fortunately, his conscious mind hated Potter enough to well hide any suspicion whatsoever by anyone.  
  
But even now, Draco was terrified that someone would find out, so a confrontation was necessary to refresh that belief.  
  
"Look at what we have here, boys. It's famous Harry Potter. With his friends the Weasel and the mudblood." Crabbe and Goyle laughed and Harry stopped walking.  
  
"Just ignore him," Hermione whispered to Harry, though her teeth were gritted at the 'mudblood' comment. He paid her no heed. He cared not about being called famous, but he wouldn't suffer for his friends to be insulted.  
  
"You watch it, Malfoy" Harry said in a low angry voice. "I don't want to put up with you before school even starts."  
  
"You? Putting up with me?" Draco scoffed. "If you ask me, it's the other way around."  
  
Hermione abandoned all hopes of avoiding a confrontation and said rather bossily, "Well this year we begin human transformations. As soon as I perfect it I shall renew your title as the Amazing Bouncing Ferret." Ron and Harry laughed. Draco rolled his eyes. Being a ferret wasn't one of the proudest moments of his life.  
  
"No, no, Malfoy, seriously," Harry said trying to keep a straight face, but obviously holding back sniggers. "You make a really excellent ferret."  
  
Malfoy took three swift steps forward and was glaring down at Harry less than an inch and a half from his face. He subconsciously registered that Harry smelled very good, but poured all of his attention into his loathe for Potter.  
  
"Well, Potter, I wouldn't get too comfortable with the idea of me as a...ferret." He curled his lip at the word. Then his pleasantly evil disposition returned and he backed off to a comfortable distance.  
  
"Anyway, I've been anxious to see you this year." Malfoy smirked.  
  
Harry narrowed his eyes. "Why?"  
  
"Because I've learned something you've been able to do for some time now, Potter. I can make a patronus."  
  
Harry's eyebrows raised slightly. Patroni were not easy.  
  
"And what's more, two patroni will interact with one another as their owners would." He drew his wand and spoke again with a challenging note in his voice. "Bet mine tears yours apart."  
  
Without hesitation, Harry drew his wand. Draco did the same.  
  
"Expecto Patronus!" Harry shouted, thinking hard about his parents, any memory of them. The mirror, their photographs, and most of all their actual spirits talking to him while he locked wands with Voldemort. Sure enough, the silvery stag erupted from his wand and stood in front of him protectively.  
  
Harry stood back and folded his arms expectantly.  
  
Draco scoffed and held up his wand. "Expecto patronus!" A silvery substance leaked out, but dissipated almost immediately. It took him two more tries but he finally produced a shimmering silver coyote.  
  
Draco smirked and watched as his coyote rotated one ear towards Harry's stag and then turned its head in that direction. Everyone was on edge, Hermione wasn't breathing and Ron was grinding his teeth nervously.  
  
The two animals acknowledged each other with a step in the other's direction. They approached one another cautiously and slowly. To Harry's surprise and Draco's horror, the stag leaned its head down and the coyote tilted its head back and the two touched noses.  
  
Harry instantly felt...something. He wasn't sure what. His hears pounded in his ears and he thought he might fall over, except for the fact that he couldn't move. All he could see were the silvery eyes of his nemesis widening in what must've been the same emotion paralysis as Harry was experiencing.  
  
Draco was horrified. His patronus had apparently just made friends with Harry's, and he had felt it. His patronus dissipated after a few horrific seconds of trying to make it go away and Draco was left with the same feelings toward Harry. Insolent, arrogant, beautiful prat. And Harry, Draco: Insolent arrogant prat. They decided not to acknowledge what had just happened to each other. Not just yet.  
  
Book one, Page 48, line 13. "...The empty grate with shriveled chip bags in it" OXYMORON!!! (It's not empty if it has chip bags in it...) 


End file.
